Crowe is hoping for a quiet Christmas in Roscarrig, on the rugged north Dublin coastline. But during a charity regatta, a body washes up on the rocks beneath the lighthouse — a man known across Ireland: a flamboyant celebrity bookmaker with deep ties to high-stakes gambling, crypto betting, and dangerous people who never forgive a debt.

The death is quickly ruled a misadventure.

But Crowe isn’t buying it.

As he digs deeper, he’s pulled into a violent world of illegal dog fighting, digital money laundering, and a gambling empire built on intimidation. Someone powerful wants this death forgotten — and they’re willing to put Crowe in the ground to make sure of it.
What makes Crowe compelling is that he’s brilliant, stubborn, and fiercely human. He doesn’t always get it right — but he never walks away from the truth.

Perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride, Tana French, and Ian Rankin, The Payout Game delivers atmospheric Irish noir with pace, grit, and a sting in the tail. It’s a story about power, secrets, and the cost of integrity